CT DOT is planning a $10 million bridge replacement. What you need to know.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation has a plan to replace the Route 16 bridge over the Salmon River in East Hampton and has invited residents and others to learn more about it – and to comment on it at an upcoming virtual meeting.

The virtual public informational meeting for the bridge project East Hampton is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 5, according to the agency. The project is list by the DOT as Project 0041-0121.

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“The purpose of the project is to is to address the structural deficiencies of State Bridge No. 00853, which carries Route 16 over the Salmon River in the town of East Hampton, and to provide a structure that accommodates safe travel for all facility users,” the agency said in a statement.

Details shared by the DOT:

• The replacement bridge will be a steel plate girder structure with integral abutments.
• The proposed bridge will be a single span structure and have a span length of approximately 150 feet, eliminating the center pier.
• It includes a widening of the roadway to provide a 32-foot curb-to-curb width.
• There are right-of-way impacts anticipated with the proposed improvements.
• These impacts include temporary construction easements on each side of the bridge.
• Construction is anticipated to begin April of 2026 based on the availability of funding, acquisition of rights of way, and approval of permit(s).
• The estimated construction cost for this project is about $10,000,000.
• This project is anticipated to be undertaken with 100% state funds during construction phase.

The upcoming meeting is intended to “provide the community an opportunity to learn about the proposed project and allow an open discussion of any views and comments concerning the proposed improvements,” the agency said in a statement.

A Q&A session will immediately follow the presentation.

The DOT asks participants to register for the virtual public information meeting at this Zoom link and registration is required to participate. Once registered, participants will receive a confirmation email with a link to access the meeting, according to the agency.

This meeting will also be livestreamed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ctdotofficial.

The public also can submit comments and questions during the two-week public comment period following the meeting, by Oct. 19, 2023 to: DOTProject41-121@ct.gov; 860-594-2020; Francisco Fadul, Transportation Supervising Engineer, Francisco.Fadul@ct.gov, (860) 594-2078.

Closed captioning will be available and non-English translation options will be available on Zoom and YouTube, the agency said. The recording will be available on CTDOT’s YouTube Virtual Public Information Meeting playlist: portal.ct.gov/ctdotvpimarchive.

More (per the DOT):

• People with limited internet access can use the call-in number 877-853-5257 and enter Meeting ID 868 7811 6111.
• Persons with limited internet access may also request that project information be mailed to them within one week by contacting Brianna Ritacco  (Brianna.Ritacco@ct.gov; (860) 594-3205).
• Persons with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS).
• Language assistance may be requested by contacting the CTDOT’s Language Assistance Call Line (860) 594-2109.
• Requests should be made at least five business days prior to the meeting. Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance.